The city council in Ottawa, Canada will consider a motion that has been tabled to rename a section of Metcalfe Street outside the former Iranian Embassy as Mahsa Amini Street.
The move was applauded by B’nai Brith Canada who had been calling for the street renaming in honor of Amini and the thousands of brave protesters who have been imprisoned, tortured and killed for demonstrating against the human rights abuses of the Iranian regime.
Amini, 22, was killed while in the custody of the Iranian morality police after she was arrested for “improperly wearing” a hijab on September 16.
In November, B’nai Brith called on the city of Ottawa to rename the section of a road in front of the former Iranian embassy after Amini.
The portion of Metcalfe Street in question is adjacent to the property which is still owned by the Islamic Republic.
B’nai Brith said that it supports Canadian Iranian diaspora groups that have organized protests across the country, including in Toronto and Vancouver, to condemn the regime’s human rights abuses.
“Ottawa residents recently elected a new mayor and council,” said Marvin Rotrand, national director of B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights. “Renaming the section of Metcalfe would show the new mayor’s versatility in tackling large issues with local solutions. We encourage him to take this step.”
David Granovsky, B’nai Brith Canada’s director of government relations, thanked the council for bringing forward the motion.
“We are pleased that, in the not-to-distant future, Ottawa City Council and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will be discussing and considering this important motion,” Granovsky said. “We are delighted that Councillors Theresa Kavanagh and Ariel Troster (who seconded Kavanagh’s motion) saw fit to ensure this was tabled for January.”
“Mayor Sutcliffe and members of Ottawa City Council can send a strong message to the Iranian regime that they will not accept the barbaric, brutal and cruel public executions that have taken place in Iran since the tragic death of Mahsa Amini,” Rotrand added. “We hope that this passes because it is the right thing to do in honour of Mahsa.”
B’nai Brith CEO Michael Mostyn noted that renaming the street is a way for Canadians to show solidarity with Iranians languishing under a regime that abuses human rights.
“Iranians have suffered for decades under brutal theocratic rule,” Mostyn said. “Renaming the street outside the former Iranian Embassy is one way that Canadians can demonstrate their support for the people of Iran. We look forward to this motion being adopted by Ottawa City Council in the new year.”